RESIDENTS of a new housing estate on the southern side of the A4440 are demanding better access to a footbridge designed to connect their homes to the city.

The Broomhall Way footbridge was built to connect new homes south of the Southern Link Road to shops and amenities in St Peter’s.

But more than a year after people started to move into the Pear Tree Fields development, off Taylors Lane, residents say access to the bridge is along a narrow country lane with no pavements or street lights.

They say developer St Modwen has kept delaying work on the footpath.

LINK: The footbridge connects the southern side of the A4440 with Power Park in St Peter's LINK: The footbridge connects the southern side of the A4440 with Power Park in St Peter's

County councillor Martin Allen said he has also made requests for the Worcestershire On Demand bus service to stop at the new estate but has been knocked back by Worcestershire County Council (WCC).

Cllr Allen said: “This is not acceptable, not only have St Modwen’s failed to construct a safe walking access to the new footbridge, but they also appear to keep pushing back the goal posts.

“The latest date for a footway to be open is apparently sometime in late January 2025.

“Regarding the Worcestershire on Demand bus service, when I asked officers to add Pear Tree Fields to the approved list of pickup points they refused.

“This leaves the elderly, young and disabled who live on this new estate trapped and isolated.

“Who would want to walk their young child down a narrow lane, which is unlit and does not have a pavement? Add in the speeding traffic that zooms up and down, along with the huge lorries, officers must rethink their decision.

“How does WCC think an elderly person can carry shopping from the bus stop on the A38 along Taylors Lane to the new estate, it really does beggar belief.

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“I will continue to support my residents and make the county council look at this matter again. I will be demanding a site visit by the officers who made the decision so they can justify to me how they came to this unhelpful decision.”

A spokesperson for St. Modwen Homes said: “Work to extend the boundary footpath to the north of our Pear Tree Fields development, which links to the off-site footbridge, is underway and we anticipate that this will be completed by the end of January 2025.

“Elsewhere on the site, our work to install a playground is progressing well and we aim to have this complete and open for residents to enjoy before Christmas this year.”

A spokesperson for Worcestershire County Council, said: “We’re looking at options of how this area could be included within the coverage of the Worcestershire on Demand bus service and will continue to liaise with Cllr Allen.”